The Perils of Independence
by SpiralAK
Summary: AKA: Hermione Granger and the Independent!Harry. In the summer of '96, a mortally wounded Albus Dumbledore arrives on Hermione Granger's doorstep in a flash of phoenix fire, bearing a single message: Harry Potter is no longer the person he once was.


Chapter 1: Headaches

Hermione Granger plopped down in her chair and placed the book she took from the shelf on her desk. Sighing, she began to continue her work on the last part of her summer homework, an essay. Fetching that book manually instead of using the Accio spell grated on Hermione's nerves, a stark reminder of her inability to use magic.

Hermione knew that the Trace would wear off in September, but the fact that she couldn't even use a simple summoning spell reminded her of how much of a handicap the Trace actually was. The summer homework provided an almost welcome distraction from thoughts of the wizarding world; the Ministry and their corrupt policies in particular. But one month without magic was one month too long, Hermione realized, and she couldn't wait to use magic once again.

A flash of fire illuminated the room and Hermione dropped her quill in an attempt to cover her eyes. 'Wait, is something... burning?' Hermione thought after smelling the acrid stench of smoke. 'Mum and Dad are away for the day, so it can't be someone cooking.' Hermione moved to the nearest window and crouched beneath it. 'Don't let it be them, don't let it be the Death Eaters.' Looking outside, Hermione placed her hand over her month and stifled a shriek.

From what she could see, a phoenix was flying in a protective circle over a man with long, grey hair that was burnt in places and a tattered, midnight-blue robe. The man was standing on one knee and his chest contracted and expanded repeatedly, as blood leaked out of a wound on his chest, one that was closing slowly.

'Professor Dumbledore?' Hermione thought. She ran outside. "Professor! What happened to you? Why are you here?"

"Harry Potter... is no longer the person he once was," Albus Dumbledore said in a barely audible tone of voice.

Hermione's heart skipped a beat as she took in Dumbledore's dishevelled appearance. "Is there anything I can do to help you, Professor?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I just need... a place to rest, Miss Granger. Fawkes will ensure my recovery." Fawkes, the phoenix, squawked in agreement.

Hermione helped Dumbledore inside her house, all the while thinking about how it was possible that anyone could damage Albus Dumbledore like he was damaged at that moment. 'Was it... Voldemort? No, it can't have been. He fled after the battle in the Department of Mysteries. But why would the Professor mention Harry?'

Once Hermione entered her living room with Dumbledore in tow, she gently placed the legendary wizard on her most comfortable chair in her living room. Dumbledore raised his hand and guided Fawkes in healing his many injuries.

"I believe you have questions that you want me to answer, don't you, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked after he recovered to his satisfaction. "I assure you, I will answer them to the best of my ability."

"Okay then. Let's start from the top, Professor," Hermione said as she began to pace up and down her living room. "You said that Harry's changed. In what way?"

Dumbledore sighed and polished his half-moon glasses with the sleeve of his tattered robe. "I went to visit Gringotts to withdraw money from my vault. I saw Harry there and went to greet him, but one of his attendants told me to address him by his formal title. Before I could, Harry dismissed my greeting and began to accuse me of doing horrible things to him. I denied these accusations, of course, but Harry would have none of this and attempted to use a Dark curse on me, one I countered and dissipated."

Hermione stopped her pacing and turned to Dumbledore, shock evident on her face. "Harry did all of this? _Harry Potter_ did all of this? How? Wouldn't the law on underage magic be violated when Harry used magic on you? And dark magic? Why would Harry even attack you in the first place?"

"When I asked Harry about how he found a way to subvert the Trace, he simply told me, 'I'm Lord Master Potter-Gryffindor-Slytherin-Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff-Peverell-Black the First, High Supreme Champion of the Light and Friend and Ally to the Goblins. I'm an adult in the eyes of magical law, and I'm better than you, you old goat!' Naturally, I was stupefied by this and he took the opportunity to blast a Reductor Curse at me in my moment of distraction, before sending a volley of flames at me that I was fortunately able to avoid.

"A fierce battle ensued and despite me having superior knowledge and experience in magical battle, I was overwhelmed by Harry, who used a variety of Dark, underhanded methods to overcome my superior skill. He also had help from his attendants."

"But why would he do this? Why would he use Dark magic, and where did he get all of these inheritances from?" Hermione asked as her voice began to crack. She felt the beginnings of a headache come on. "Could it be the after-effects of the battle in the Department of Mysteries?"

"I cannot say," Dumbledore replied. "It would, however, explain how he was able to inherit Sirius' estate, which he must have done before I became aware of his new status. As for the others, we would have to ask Harry himself. Although I highly doubt that he would welcome either of us with open arms."

"But why wouldn't he?" Hermione asked incredulously. "I'm his best friend!"

"Unfortunately, Miss Granger, I believe that Harry has blacklisted me and any of my allies. That would include you, so long as you continue to aid me."

Hermione digested all of the information and composed herself, although her headache didn't subside like she wanted it to. "How are we going to get through to Harry, Professor?"

"We must first get to the root of the problem, Miss Granger," Dumbledore replied. "How did this happen? Why did Harry fall to temptation? Asking yourself questions about how things happen is one way to solve problems, and find solutions to solving those problems. Finding how Harry succumbed to the allure of the Dark Side is -"

"Wait, what?" Hermione asked. "Dark Side? We're discussing Harry Potter, not Darth Vader, Professor."

"Who?" Dumbledore asked.

Hermione gave out an irritated sigh, "... Never mind."

"You must excuse me, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said. "I have a lot on my mind, and not only do I have to deal with Voldemort and his gaggle of Death Eaters, I also have to worry about another wayward student of mine, who might be an even greater threat than I ever anticipated. And I believe that Harry would prefer to be addressed by his formal title, Lord Master Potter-Gryffindor -"

"Professor, I'm fully aware of Harry's titles," Hermione interrupted. She felt like her head was going to explode and it was making her irritable and impatient. "Anyway, we were discussing why Harry became Dark. Maybe he found a way to defeat Voldemort and went through with it without considering the consequences."

"Perhaps," Dumbledore said wisely. "But it is as they say, Miss Granger. Power corrupts. And absolute power corrupts absolutely. If we could separate Harry from his source of power, we might be able to get through to him."

"But how do we do that?" Hermione asked. "I can't use magic outside of Hogwarts and Ron is nowhere to be found, even though he'd probably be as useless as I am now."

"Not to mention Harry's... entourage of women," Dumbledore added. "They were enamoured with him, and he appeared to be highly satisfied while in their company. They would come to his aid constantly and if they didn't try to assist him during his battle with me, they would shower him with words of encouragement, or promises of a... sexual nature."

Hermione groaned. "Harry has a harem? He was unable to even speak to Cho earlier in the year! Tell me how it's possible that Harry could get something like a harem! Not to mention how archaic and misogynistic the idea of a harem is!"

"I believe I have an answer for that. Magic," he answered with a self-satisfied smile. "And with his inheritances, Harry would be the heir of the Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter, Black and the four Founding Families of Hogwarts. That would provide Harry with an almost limitless pool of money, if I'm not mistaken." Hermione palmed her face. Dumbledore noticed and said, "Miss Granger, do you have a headache?"

"Yes, I do in fact," Hermione answered irritably. "But money isn't enough, isn't it? What kind of magic could make Harry gain a harem? There's that Old Magic, that's tied to Soul... Bonds..." Hermione slapped her forehead in frustration. "UGH! I should have known! Forcing women to succumb to him like they're objects! I would have never expected Harry to do something like this, but with all these revelations... I need to sit down."

"Care for a lemon drop, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore offered. "It takes care of headaches in -"

"Yes, Professor," Hermione said before Dumbledore could finish. "Give me a hundred lemon drops. I'll need all the lemon drops you can give me before the end of this little adventure."

* * *

Hermione returned from the kitchen with a bottle of water and took out the lemon drop she received from Dumbledore. She ate the lemon drop and took a sip from her bottle and felt the relief as the sour sweet dissolved in her mouth.

"This is pretty good," Hermione observed. Like the lemon drop, her headache dissolved and went away, adding to her euphoria. 'It must have been a misunderstanding. Why else would Professor Dumbledore give me a lemon drop if he wanted to drive a wedge between me and Harry?' She thought. "Now, Professor, don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't believe you, but how do I know you're telling the truth? You could have been ambushed by Death Eaters, or suffered a terrible accident."

With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore conjured a copy of _The Quibbler_. "This is the latest issue, and I believe that the main article should provide a satisfactory explanation."

"But why give me the Quibbler?" Hermione asked. "Is the _Daily Prophet _still as corrupt as ever?"

"While both newspapers will give you the details of what happened at Gringotts, this one has a different interpretation of events," Dumbledore answered. "One that will show that Harry has changed, and not for the better." Hermione took the Quibbler and read the main article, feeling a wave of nausea come over her as she continued to read the article.

"And I thought that Luna and her dad were alright, but then they publish this hogwash!" Hermione exclaimed, throwing the Quibbler at the fireplace and taking another sip from her water bottle. "The article does prove your claims, Professor, but it's also filled with so much drivel! It says that you were the one that attacked Harry. Then it continues, saying that if it wasn't for Harry, excuse me, _Lord Potter's _fantastic use of magic, he would have been killed by the, and I quote, 'senile bumbling old ingrate.'"

Hermione let out a bitter, hysterical giggle. "It's worse than it sounds, Professor. But what could have propagated this change? The last time I spoke to Harry, he was normal. He was grieving over Sirius' death, but he was perfectly normal.

"This... this isn't the Harry Potter I know, the one that was my best friend for over five years," Hermione concluded. "It's worse than I expected, in fact. I never would have imagined Harry snapping like this. Never in my entire life."

"I may have had a hand in Harry's abrupt change in character," Dumbledore confessed. "I told Harry that everything I did for him was for his own protection, against Voldemort, against his Death Eaters and against the things he was not meant to know, but I fear that Harry did not appreciate me shielding him from the reality he would have to face. He must have retaliated, and it looks like Harry decided to take matters into his own hands, and gain his independence, so to speak."

"But what would Harry have to worry about?" Hermione asked as she felt her headache return with a roaring vengeance. "If he wanted to, my parents would have let him stay here for the summer! He could stay at the Burrow, with his friends! Me and Ron, we were willing to help him with anything! Why didn't he tell anyone about his plans? He could have stayed at Grimmauld Place, even! That would have solved the problem with the Dursleys, and you or any other member of the Order could have come to his aid in an instant!

"But now, instead of relying on his friends, he decides to gain a harem of women who probably had no interest in him before he became the Boy-With-Too-Much-Money-and-Pride! A harem that would certainly leave him if he lost all of his prestige!"

"Perhaps Harry decided to step outside of his comfort zone," Dumbledore mused. "By distancing himself from what he knew, he would be able to start his journey into the unknown with a clear conscience, confident that no one he knew would be in danger in his quest. And perhaps he found a new form of comfort with women that would tend to his every whim, or with the Goblins that would tell him the cold, hard, truth."

"But... but..." Hermione groaned and gripped the bridge of her nose.

"Miss Granger, I understand this may be difficult to comprehend, but I need your help. My attempts to contact the Burrow have failed, and you are the only other person I know who can get through to him. If he lets you, that is," Dumbledore said in an attempt to console his student.

Hermione sighed deeply. "Okay, I'm fine now. All of this is stupid, if I'm completely honest. I'm going to find Harry and I'm going to set his mind straight. I just have to make sure that this is actually for real, and not some lucid dream I'm having." Hermione thrust her hand into the bowl of lemon drops Dumbledore conjured up earlier and swallowed a handful, swallowing them after dissolving them with a long sip of water.

"Do you need my help to get to Diagon Alley?" Dumbledore asked.

"No thanks, Professor," Hermione said. Her eyes flashed, showing Dumbledore her resolve. "It's like you said, Harry won't trust me if he sees that I've allied myself with you."

"Correct, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said happily. With a wave of his wand, a blue mirror shard attached to a thread appeared on the table. "Take this. Not only will I be able to see through this mirror, you can also use it to communicate with me."

Hermione nodded and put on the necklace, taking another handful of lemon drops and stuffing them into her jeans pocket. "I won't be gone long, Professor. Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Dumbledore replied.

Hermione let a small smile cross her features and went to the entrance. Grabbing her coat, she put it on and left her house, closing the door behind her and setting off on a new adventure. Her goal: to bring Harry Potter back to his senses.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I wanted to take a crack at the whole Lord Potter thing. Let's see where I can take it. Please review and tell me where I can improve, what direction I could take, that sort of thing. I'd appreciate it.


End file.
